Thread attaching means for bobbins



March 7, 1967 P. c. CONSOLETTI 3,307,804

' THREAD ATTACHING MEANS FOR BOBBINS Filed Feb. 17, 1965 INVENTOR. PAUL QCONSO LETTI.

WM 42%M A TTORNE Y United States Patent 3,307,804 THREAD ATTACHIN G MEANS FOR BOBBINS Paul C. Consoletti, Milford, Mass., assignor to Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass, a corporation of Maine Filed Feb. 17, 1965, Ser. No. 433,285 1 Claim. (Cl. 242-1251) This invention pertains to an improvement in filling bobbins for fly shuttle looms and, more particularly, to an improved means of capturing the end of the filling thread to be wound thereon to initiate the building of a filling package. Although the present invention illustrated and described herein is shown as applied to loom bobbins, it is to be understood that it would be equally applicable to the various forms of textile bobbins on which a package is adapted to built from strand material.

It is a general object of the invention to improve filling bobbins used in conjunction with automatic loom winders to provide a more positive means for initiating the formation of a yarn package thereon.

A further object is that of providing an improved means of capturing and retaining the end of a filling thread to attach it to the barrel of a loom bobbin for winding the same thereon.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a circular band member fixedly attached to the bobbin intermediate the butt and barrel portions thereof having a plurality of projections disposed in spaced relation to the barrel and which are effective in capturing and retaining the free end of a strand of filling to initiate the winding of a filling package on the bobbin.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following moredetailed disclosure.

In the manufacture of woven fabric many weaving mills of today utilize automatic bobbin winders in combination with their looms. In such looms, stripped bobbins are automatically oriented and presented to the winder where they are donned and then placed in a position for transfer into a loom shuttle when an indication for filling replenishment is given, all of which is well known to those conversant in the art.

The means utilized for attaching a strand of filling yarn to the barrel of a bobbin to initiate the building of a package thereon has been a rather common source of annoyance and has left a great deal to be desired with regards to providing such a means which would be positive and relatively inexpensive.

One of the more common means which has been used for attaching the end of a strand of filling to the barrel of a bobbin to initiate its winding thereon has been that of placing the end of a filling strand to be Wound across a cupped spindle center. The bobbin when placed in winding position would press against this filling strand to hold it, and as the bobbin commenced to turn the filling would be wound upon the barrel of the bobbin. For the most part this method of starting the filling worked satisfactorily but was by no means a positive method for if the yarn or filling was not accurately placed across the cupped portion of the winding spindle, there would be insufficient holding pressure resulting in the end of said filling becoming displaced when the winding commenced.

This problem has led to the development of devices to alleviate the aforementioned condition and both United States Patents Nos. 2,824,708 and 3,104,852 disclose an improved means for attaching the end of a strand of filling yarn to a bobbin or core for the winding of the same thereon. Each of these patents discloses staplelike elements attached directly to the butt portion of the bobbin and Patent 2,824,708 further shows a ferrule member having integrally formed tooth members for performing this function.

The filling wind cleat for loom bobbins according to the instant invention is an improvement over the devices disclosed in the above-mentioned patents and is adapted to form an integral part of the bobbin with which it cooperates.

Bobbins on which applicants filling wind cleat is adapted to assemble are more or less of conventional design having a cylindrical butt portion with the usual ring members affixed thereto and a so-called barrel portion of lesser diameter than said butt which extends axially from the latter. That portion of the bobbins butt immediately adjacent to the barrel is machined to a diameter less than the butt but greater than the barrel, and defines a circular stepped surface on which the wind cleat according to the invention is adapted to be fixedly attached.

The wind cleat itself is in the form of a circular band having a plurality of equally spaced hook-like projections extending outwardly therefrom. These projections overhangthat portion of the bobbins barrel immediately adjacent to the butt and being in spaced relation to said barrel are effective in capturing and retaining the end of a strand of filling yarn to initiate its winding on said barrel.

The invention will be described hereinafter in further detail by reference to the accompanying figures of drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a loom bobbin showing the filling wind cleat according to the invention applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of a filling bobbin showing the cleat retaining stepped portion and a modified form of bobbin having a circumferential recess immediately adjacent the butt:

FIG. 3 is an end view on an enlarged scale of the filling wind cleat shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the figures of drawing, a bobbin generally indicated by numeral 10 is shown in FIG. 1 which includes a butt 11 and a barrel 12 extending therefrom. The usual rings 13 are disposed about the butt portion for positioning the :bobbin within the confines of a loom shuttle, all of which is well known in the weaving art.

As shown in FIG, 2, that portion of the bob bins butt 11 immediately adjacent to the barrel is machined to a lesser diameter than the butt and defines a stepped surface 14. A recess 15 is provided intermediate this stepped surface 14 and the remaining portion of the butt 11 and as will be described in further detail hereinafter, provides a means for fixedly positioning the filling wind cleat on said stepped surface. Other suitable cleat positioning means may be used.

The filling wind cleat according to the invention is depicted generally in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 by numeral 16. This wind cleat is in the form of a circular band 17 having an inner surface 18 (FIG. 4) which conforms generally to the outer periphery of the stepped surface 14. The inner surface 18 of the band is adapted to assemble on the stepped surface 14 and that end of the band adjacent the remaining portion of the butt is adapted to be rolled inwardly into the recess 15 thereby forming an anchoring means for fixedly positioning said band on said stepped surface (FIGS. 1 and 2).

The opposite end of this band 17 is provided with a plurality of integrally formed and outwardly directed projections which are indicated generally by numeral 19. Each of the projections extend in a plane oblique to the axis of the bobbin and have outer and inner surfaces that define a web 20. The leading edge 21 of each web extends in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the bobbin and terminates in a laterally extending nib or hook 22 and the combination of both defines hook-like mem- 3 bers in overlying and spaced relation to the barrel of the bobbin (FIG. 1).

FIG. 2 shows a modified form of bobbin to which the wind cleat according to the invention has been applied. With this form of bobbin the taper of the feeler step portion 23 is somewhat greater than that of the bobbin shown in FIG. 1 and serves as a means to facilitate the withdrawal of certain types of filling yarns from a bobbin. T provide clearance for the filling thread to enter between and be caught by these so-called hook-like projections, a bobbin of this type is provided with a circumferential recess 24 immediately adjacent to the stepped surface 14 (FIG. 2).

In operation, empty or stripped bobbins are fed to an automatic bobbin winding machine where they are individually donned, this is to say, they are held between axially aligned rotatable centers, one of which is driven to rotate the bobbin for the winding of a filling package thereon.

When the bobbin commences to rotate, a cooperating element of the winding machine which holds the end of the supply yarn carries the latter along the barrel of the bobbin and in the direction of the bobbins butt portion. When the yarn reaches the filling wind cleat, the hooklike projections are effective in capturing and retaining the end of the supply yarn to initiate the building of a yarn package on the bobbin. Additionally, the angular setting of these projections, relative to the axis of the bobbin, is effective in shedding the strand of supply yarn so that it will enter between and be picked up by the projections should it be carried a distance to contact the outer surface of the webs 20.

Yarn packages are built to :a predetermined size and when reaching this size, the bobbin is automatically dolfed and the cycle is then repeated by donning the next empty bobbin.

The filling wind cleat shown and described herein and the means by which it is attached to a bobbin are decided improvements over the devices of the prior art which are intended to perform the function of the instant invention.

With those bobbins which utilize staple-like members projecting from their butt portions, the members at times become loose and are lost and difficulty is often experienced in the assembly of said members. To insert these staple-like members in plastic or impregnated bobbins they are norm-ally heated and the hardened surf-ace 4. that needs to be penetrated results in an undesirable percentage of waste due to cracking and breakage of the butt portions.

The assembly of ferrule-like devices by means of an adhesive has presented problems, for failure of the adhesive will not permit the device to perform its intended function.

Additionally, those devices designed to be held in position on a bobbin by clamping pressure oftentimes become loose and ineffective due to the stretching of the device or a slight shrinkage of the bobbin itself.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claim.

I claim:

A bobbin for automatic bobbin changing looms upon which filling thread is adapted to be wound having a cylindrical buttportion and tan integrally formed barrel portion of lesser diameter extending axially therefrom, said butt portion including a cylindrical stepped portion, a circular bobbin Wind cleat, means for fixedly positioning said cleat on said stepped portion, a plurality of outwardly directed projections extending from one end of said cleat, said projections extending in a plane oblique to the axis of said bobbin and equally disposed about said cleat in overlying spaced relation to the periphery of said barrel portion, said projections having an outer and inner surface defining a web, each one of said projections including a leading edge generally parallel to the aXis of said bobbin, and a hook forming the terminus portion of said projections for capturing and retaining the free end of filling thread to initiate the winding of a filling package on said bobbin.

7 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,614,771 10/1952 Goodhue 24()125.l 2,824,708 32/1958 Higgins 242125.1 3,118,633 l/1964 Belville 242125.l

FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner. G. F. MAUTZ, Examiner. 

